By Joanne Miller Chicagoland Golf assistant editor
Every time the TV news comes on people are talking about getting fit, eating healthier and going ‘green.’ Apparently, making these changes in your life is the most fashionable thing to do.
Golf fits right in. Who knew that just by playing golf we would all be trendsetters?
Regardless, I don’t think golf has gotten its just dessert as a form of exercise, but maybe that will change as this new trend emerges. After all, golf reaches far beyond other sports, people of all ages can play, 15-year-olds to 65 and up.
Sure, we’ve all probably claimed golf is a form of exercise to justify the five hours away from the house. But, truth be told, one burns vast amounts of calories playing golf. If you carry your bag around the course for four hours you burn 1,156 calories, and if you decide to ride you’ll expunge 894 calories.
ADIDAS - Top row, men’s traditional ClimaCool Solid Pocket Polo in midori, a nice green/black polo is the ClimaCool Motion Shoulder Stripe, and the innovative ClimaCool Vertical Engineered Stripe in navy/lobster/freeze. Bottom row, women’s clothing starts with the great ClimaCool Cap Sleeve Henna Placement Print top in blossom/white, then the original ClimaCool Button Loop Polo featured in gerogia, and the extremely feminine ClimaLite Mercerized Puff Sleeve in midori/green.
Now the old excuse has justification: “Honey, it’s for my health.”
You’re welcome.
Since
you’ll be getting more fit playing golf this spring, summer and fall,
several new golf shirts should be next on the list – you’ll be
supporting the economy, too. Next all you have to do is donate your old
clubs to charity and you’ll be up for Sainthood.
ADIDAS
“Four words: Equipment for Your Body,” reads its catalog for Spring 2008, and I agree with that sentiment.
Adidas
has the most color options for every style than that of other apparel
companies. It offers numerous technological fabrics, all encompassed in
very innovative designs. As popular as horizontal stripes are in the
golf world, unless you have a physique like Charles Howell III, stay
away! They only make you look wider. Adidas has a great vertical stripe
polo with one large band of stripes from the shoulder to the bottom
hem. It adds a great visual and should help give the illusion of a
longer torso. This ClimaCool Vertical Engineered Stripe Polo is
available in turquoise/black/white combo and navy/light blue/orange
combo.
Another favorite from the line is the ClimaCool Gradient
Check Print polo, another vertical stripe, available in white/light
green, blue/white or white/sun/gold.
There are just so many great
shirts in the Adidas Spring/Summer line I could go on for days. I can
guarantee that you will find at least one – if not several – that you
just have to add to your closet, and the feel of the fabrics is off the
charts comfortable. A golfer can just not go wrong buying from this
company.
The Adidas women’s line is just as innovative as the men’s.
A great little sleeveless top is the Plaid Print in two shades of blue
with white plaid and contrasting burgundy trim. A nice surprise to the
new line is the Henna detailing offered in three different styles. A
cap sleeve with Henna on the upper left; a half sleeve top with a large
Henna print on the back; and a sleeveless jacquard polo covered in a
discreet Henna pattern.
Adidas has incorporated some feminine
details – puffed sleeves, pleated mocks, button loops – with gorgeous
colors perfectly to inject some serious style into any golf wardrobe.
ASHWORTH - Collection of polos from the new Cloudbreak line.
ASHWORTH
As
we reported last year, founder John Ashworth had returned to Ashworth
after 10 years. The Spring 2008 collection is the first line with his
collaboration, marking “A rebirth of the brand.”
The result is the
introduction of several new lines featuring strategically-placed
patterns in mature color combinations of deep red, marlin, seagrass,
and chromium. From the Cloudbreak collection comes a solid polo with a
crest-like screened graphic print on lower left side available in red,
fescue and white. The solid dark sand garment with screened argyle
diamonds on the chest is another top design. Highlighting the Chemistry
line is the Carbon Silver Tech shirt in H2O, a classic golf shirt with
a remote vertical pattern. The Energy set fulfills all expectations
with a techy look in the Two-Color Body-Mapped shirt and Vertical
Textured Stripe shirt.
Ashworth’s women’s line mirrors the men’s in
its use of patterns but with womanly, contemporary tones. The Venetian
line is perfect for spring with colors of sweet cream, ribbon (pink),
tangerine, and santa fe (cream). The Floral Pint knit shirt is 100
percent cotton and the lovely print flows down the right side. Coming
for the Luxor line, the Printed Coat Front knit shirt is a ladylike,
floral patterned sleeveless top in black. Bringing a breath of fresh
air is the Scoop Neck knit shirt in black and white stripes.
GREG NORMAN
Greg
Norman continues to surprise me with the detailed designs and original
patterns. The creative team for the Spring 2008 Norman collection
debuts three new lines; Sydney Harbour, Hollywood Golf; and Scottish
Links to complement their Essential, Play Dry and Signature Series
collections. From the Sydney Harbor line comes a bold
classic-turned-modern pattern called ladder jacquard in the Luxury
Bamboo Jaquard polo. The entire line focuses on bold graphic prints in
blue, paprika, and pueblo with classic accents of black.
Hollywood
Golf is the epitome of 1920s glamour with modern day sophistication in
dynamic, complicated pattern work. The undeniable color scheme features
wasabi (lime green), dragonfly (a dark pink), and strong black.
Rounding
out the collections is the Scottish Links, a conservative yet beautiful
line complete with rich plum wine mixed with navy and green against
checks and stripes.
Whether your golf style is a bit modern or a bit conservative Norman’s 2008 collection will meet your needs.
LIJA
LIJA
should be a staple to every women’s golf wardrobe. Introducing four new
collections this spring: Eye Candy, Runway Luxe, Spring Fling, and
Sweet Georgia Brown. Eye Candy kick-starts the new line with vibrant
colors of lollipop (pink), lipstick (light purple), nectar (orange),
and my favorite, damsel (burgundy). The styling and details of the
collections create a slightly preppie feel with a sassy twist. A
vintage flair emanates from Spring Fling, where femininity is the key
ingredient in styling. Pretty polos with sweet details like scoop
necks, key holes and rounded collars are found throughout. Color makes
the Sweet Georgia Brown a delicious collection filled with nut, cocoa,
seafoam and creamsicle. These soft tones create a very warm spring
palette for this casual and playful group.
Oversized button, bib
detailing and unique prints make great combinations for another great
line.
LIJA has once again designed clothing that every woman can wear, feel good in, and look fabulous.
Greg Norman
LIJA - Top right inset, from Eye Candy, smooch military polo in damsel with the grace plaid skort. Large photo is from Spring Fling, smooch casita polo in mulberry under the classic mimosa vest, glossy casa short in honey. Sweet Georgia Brown, left, featuring the pinwheel cuffed polo and checkerboard knee short.
NIKE
Nike
has once again proved why it is in a league of its own with the
Spring/Summer 2008 collection. The men’s Tour Collection is laden with
pristine colors of white, etheral (light blue), wild mango, olive khaki
and birch. The blocked burnout top features color blocks down both
sides making you appear slimmer. The Sphere Dry Diamond pattern adds a
bit of panache in ethereal and olive khaki. A second shipment of the
Tour Collection dabbles in new blue (turquoise), sunburst (bright red),
dark obsidian (dark blue), white and birch. Highlighting this
collection is the Body Mapping 2 Tone polo in dark obsidian, a muted
stripe on the right chest and the left sleeve serves as a modern twist
to the traditional stripe. (See photo).
The women’s collection
stands on its own with desirable designs paired with soft colors of
birch, cadet green, wild mango, light coral and white. One favorite
piece standing out of this line is the novelty plaid pant, sure to turn
heads on the first tee.
The women’s collection second and third
lines are much brighter focusing on germain blue (deep purple), flame
red, white, black and electric green, new blue, ice blue, white and
birch. I have to mention the Novelty Mesh shirt, the side color blocks
wrap around the body and onto the back of the polos. Making us ladies
look as good leaving as we do arriving.
QUAGMIRE
Its tag
line, “Not Fit For The Fairway,” lets you know that this isn’t your
grandfather’s clothing. Quagmire is a hip, edgy line that pushes the
boundaries of country club wear, but still adheres to traditional dress
codes. I am genuinely impressed with this company. The owners are two
young men who love to play golf but never felt comfortable in
traditional golf clothes. Three years later, this Canadian company has
branched out into the American market.
I predict great things for this
company. The lines are fresh, clean, and the fabrics are silky soft.
These pieces are not just for 20-year-olds. Anyone who has fun playing
golf could use a shirt or two from the Quagmire collection.
They
also have a women’s line that is energetic and youthful. The SummerFun
sleeveless top is just brilliant. The polo has an empire waist pipping
in contrasting fabric that makes the top a true original. Chose from
lemon, tangerine, baby blue, black, baby pink or white and you’ll stand
out in any foursome.
NIKE- Men’s Blocked Burnout polo in white, Body Maping 2 Tone in dark obsidian, women’s Graphic Nike Sphere Dry polo featured in white with cadet green and light coral.
QUAGMIRE - Left, men’s lucky polo with authentic bamboo. Left inset, women’s lines polo and dukes shorts. Right, men’s vacation polo with plaid shorts, women’s bunkerbabe jacket and svelt shorts.
SWEET LIES
Sweet Lies, a Chicago-based
business, is a name to remember. Introducing a third collection this
spring, co-owners Cathy Arslanian and Marianne Durham infuse each piece
with inspirations of automobile racing. Using luxurious technical
fabrics from Italy their collections – Checkered Flag, Hot Pass, and
Victory Lap – truly brings an unprecedented concept to women’s golf
apparel... and it works. The lines are brimming with feminine
detailing, tee holders on the sleeves and on the back of a headband,
side mesh vents on tops, pants with ‘slimming illusion and rear venting
and yoke flatters the bum.” A wish for every woman, no?
ACCESSORIES
For
years, while playing golf women have settled with wearing a baseball
cap that has primarily been designed with men in mind. Now female
golfers have a choice, thanks to the entrepreneurial spirit of two long
time friends. Gogie Girl is a headwear company designed by women for
women.
For starters, Gogie Girl hats come in two sizes – standard and
petite. Its proprietary Softweave mesh fabric and Silton lining
provides a hat that is soft and comfortable. In addition, a shorter,
more feminine brim provides plenty of protection from the sun while a
perfectly placed space in the back is big enough to accommodate the
longest of ponytails.
There are four lines of Gogie Girl headwear
and three unique styles of visors. The visors are designed with a black
Silton sweatband to prevent unsightly makeup stains.
Crocs, maker
of the colorful, lightweight shoes seen on the feet of people of all
ages, has taken its designs to the golf course. It all started in July
of 2007, when Crocs bought Bite and the collaboration began. The result
is the Ace. Made with Croslite material, Crocs’ proprietary
closed-cell resin, this shoe is extremely lightweight, odorresistant
and breathable. The adjustable turbo strap hugs the heel enhancing
stability and performance. Unique to the Ace shoe is a traditional golf
spike pattern design and lug traction system to ensure weight balance
during the swing. The Ace is constructed with ventilation ports that
increase breathability and, to protect feet from morning dew, is also
designed without the holes on the sides found in other Crocs footwear.
Because the Ace doesn’t use conventional spikes, there is no need to
remove the shoes when leaving the course.
This new golf shoe will be
available this spring for $39.99 in black, white with blue accents,
cotton candy pink, white with pink accents and khaki with chocolate
accents. Both men’s and womens’ sizes will be sold.
If you can get
over how different and untraditional the shoe looks, I would give it a
try. Ask just about anyone if they own a pair of the original Crocs and
they’ll probably say yes. We’ll see if the crossover into the golf shoe
business will be just as successful.
Now female golfers have a choice, thanks to the entrepreneurial spirit of two long time friends. Gogie Girl is a headwear company designed by women for women. For starters, Gogie Girl hats come in two sizes – standard and petite.
